Outdoor Lover's Gift Guide 2015

Outdoor adventure gifts are the best kind around. The gift ideas listed below are can’t miss recommendations for anyone that enjoys backpacking, hiking, and camping. So give a gift that gets someone outdoors this year. Give the gift of adventure!

Also, save yourself the hassle of mall shopping during the holidays. Order gifts early and online. Then pour yourself a glass of eggnog and kick back. The retailers I recommend have free shipping options and make returns easy.

I hope you find this post helpful for generating outdoor gift ideas for your friends and family. Please leave a comment below if you have any thoughts on my suggestions or would like to make a recommendation of your own. Enjoy!

GIFT GUIDE SECTIONS

Big Ticket Gifts

ZPACKS DUPLEX TENT (21OZ)

The Duplex is an ultralight backpackers dream come true. It’s my tent of choice for ultralight backpacking and thru-hiking trips. The Duplex is built out of unbelievably light cuben fiber, which is a completely waterproof material that won’t sag like silnylon in the rain. This tent would make an excellent gift for a thru-hiker, but it’s a little specialized for the average backpacker.

BIG AGNES COPPER SPUR UL2 (2LB 12OZ)

The Copper Spur UL2 is an excellent lightweight tent with great features for backpackers of all levels. Its double-wall construction makes it easy to setup and great in nasty weather. It’s really light, but it still provides a good amount of interior space for 2 people. And it also has a range of convenient features like interior pockets and hang loops.

WESTERN MOUNTAINEERING SUMMERLITE SLEEPING BAG (19OZ)

The Summerlite is an incredibly light and warm sleeping bag for 3-season backpacking. It has a full-length zipper and continuous baffle construction, making it one of the lightest full-functioning sleeping bags on the market.

PATAGONIA M10 JACKET (8.1OZ)

The M10 jacket (in men's and women's) is my all-time favorite shell for ultralight backpacking rain protection. It’s incredibly light, breathable, and compactable. The material of this jacket feels comfortable against the skin - not plasticy like some other jackets - and it will keep you bone dry even under the harshest conditions. No front pockets or pit zips keep the weight of this coat down, you won’t need those features on the trail.

PATAGONIA ULTRALIGHT DOWN HOODIE (10.5OZ)

The Ultralight Down Hoodie (in men's and women's) is my go-to jacket for almost every 3-season backpacking trip I take. It’s light, stylish, comfortable and has a great fit. I highly recommend this jacket for lightweight backcountry excursions.

GOPRO HERO4 SILVER

The GoPro HERO4 is a fantastic gift for any active outdoor lover. I use mine for time-lapse photography and taking short videos in the field. It comes in a rugged and waterproof case, making it an excellent fit for any active lifestyle.

ZPACKS ARC BLAST BACKPACK (21OZ)

If I were to set out on a thru-hike tomorrow, the Arc Blast would be my backpack of choice. When you’re covering long distances, keeping weight down is critical, and the Arc Blast is the lightest pack on the market. The frame of the Arc Blast promotes airflow to your back, which is nice. Make sure to add hip pockets to your order, and I also like using a shoulder pouch for my camera as well.

REI QUARTER DOME 2 TENT (3LB 1OZ)

The REI Quarter Dome 2 has an excellent lightweight design with nearly vertical sidewalls for increased interior space. It’s solid in nasty weather and has convenient features like sidewall pockets and hang loops. It’s an excellent value buy for lightweight backpackers.

UE MEGABOOM SPEAKER (30OZ)

This best-in-class bluetooth speaker blasts some serious sound and makes an excellent high-end gift for music lovers on the go. The MEGABOOM is waterproof and shockproof, which are great features for outdoor addicts, but the main selling point is its incredible sound quality and volume in a portable package.

MSR LIGHTNING ASCENT SNOWSHOES (3LB 13OZ)

The MSR Lightning Ascents are best-in-class snowshoes that will make any winter trekker swoon. They’re my all-time favorite snowshoes for several reasons. Along with solid overall construction, they have excellent traction, which is critical on icy surfaces. Their three-strap bindings keep your feet secure and are easy to adjust. They also come with televators, which are advantageous on hilly terrain. I prefer the smaller 22 in. size (men’s and women’s sizes available) for maneuverability with the option to add 5 in. flotation tails when there’s a lot of deep powder.

PATAGONIA DOWN SWEATER HOODIE (15.1OZ)

The Down Sweater Hoodie (in men's and women's) is slightly heavier than Patagonia’s Ultralight Down Hoodie, but it’s also a bit warmer, tougher, and more cost effective. It’s an excellent piece of gear for any backcountry traveler and also great for keeping warm around town.

GIFT GUIDE SECTIONS

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GEAR GUIDE 2018

Packing a top-notch tent is one of the best ways to increase comfort, safety, and enjoyment on backcountry trips. So when you're in the market for a new shelter, pick up one of the Best Backpacking Tents of 2018.

Staying hydrated and avoiding parasites in the backcountry is critical. We explain the key differences of each water treatment method and share our personal favorites in our list of the Best Water Filters of 2018.

Trekking poles can add a lot of stability and comfort to your hike. We tested dozens of trekking poles to narrow the list down in terms of durability, comfort, weight and value to determine this year's Best Trekking Poles.

We put together this list to showcase some solid budget tents that strike a good balance between cost, weight, weather protection, and durability. If you’re on a tight budget or new to backpacking, check out our Best Budget Tents of the year.

Outdoor adventure gifts are the best kind around. The gift ideas listed in the CleverHiker Gift Guide are can’t miss recommendations for anyone that enjoys backpacking, hiking, and camping. So give a gift that gets someone outdoors this year. Give the gift of adventure!

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Completing a thru-hike will be one of the most profoundly rewarding achievements of your life. You’ll spend months communing with nature, build jaw-dropping endurance, and develop lasting friendships along the way. Mustering up the courage to set out on your first thru-hike just might be the best decisions you ever make.

For many of us, it’s been drilled into our heads since day one that backpackers wear boots. That’s just what you do. You need the toughness and the ankle support and the water protection, right? That’s why it blew my mind a few years back when I learned that thru-hikers cover thousands of trail miles every year in running shoes. Now, after many years and many miles, I feel very confident saying: Ditch the boots and don't look back.

A lightweight down coat should be at the center of any good backpacking list. You’ll wear it just about every night on the trail. It’ll keep you toasty warm, even after spending hours jammed into the bottom of your pack. So, considering how essential your down coat is and how often you use it, let me ask you this; when was the last time you washed it?

One of my favorite shots from this weekend’s backpacking trip in Death Valley. A natural yin and yang balance between light and size and ruggedness and beauty. Marble Canyon was really spectacular.
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Also, we just posted a full guide to this awesome 26-mile loop on our blog, and winter’s the perfect time to take it on.
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#deathvalley #marblecanyon #cottonwoodmarblecanyonloop #cleverhiker

Went on an incredible backpacking trip in Death Valley this past weekend with some of my closest friends. It’s always good to spend time in nature with people you care about.
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#deathvalley #cottonwoodmarblecanyonloop #cleverhiker

Just finished up day 4 on our JMT thru-hike!! The weather has been lovely, our packs are feeling good, and we’re very excited for what lies ahead. At the moment we’re chillin at Red’s Meadow on mile 60 of the trail. Eating some good food and enjoying a cold brewski. About 160 miles left in our journey, which we’re expecting will take about 12-13 more days. Hope all is well in your world!! .
#jmt2018 #johnmuirtrail

Lovely hike up to Wheeler Peak today, highest point in NM. 🤗

Had a stellar day yesterday. Got some solid work done in the morning, ate some delicious grub in Bozeman, and headed out to the mountains to camp. Any day with alpine lakes is a win in my books. 👌

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Annapurna Range - Nepal

"Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. Nature's peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. The winds will blow their own freshness into you, and the storms their energy, while cares will drop away from you like the leaves of Autumn." - John Muir

Half Dome - Yosemite NP

At CleverHiker, we believe that backpacking adventures provide some of life’s most rewarding experiences. Our goal is to help make your adventures as rewarding and enjoyable as possible, and to inspire you to plan your next excursion.

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